Easy Lemon Bars

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As summer winds down, I can’t help but feel a little sad. Though I can’t wait for the cooler temps, football season, and beautiful autumn leaves, I will definitely miss some parts of the summer.

Hanging out on our patio with my wife watching our son play in the backyard while sipping on some lemonade will be one of those things I’ll miss most. Of course I can sip on lemonade whenever I want – or I can up the ante and make these delicious lemon bars!

This simple dessert is super easy to make, and its made using ingredients most people keep on hand – so they are cheap!

They are ultra tangy and tart with just the right amount of sweet balance blended in that you won’t be able to get enough of them. They’re perfect for your little one’s fundraiser bake sale or to bring to the next family party.

Of course if you want something MUCH sweeter, you should check out our White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies!

What is your favorite dessert bar? Let us know in the comments

Eating Salads on a Budget (with Spinach Apple Salad recipe!)

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A simple way we try and keep our family healthy while making our food last as long as possible (read: less money spent on food!) is pairing foods with a great salad!

When we had our pizza night the other day, we paired those delicious slices of carb filled glory with this tart and savory salad!

We splurged a little on candied walnuts, and found the feta in bulk on sale at a discount store that sells excess products that restaurants didn’t end up needing.

Eating healthier doesn’t always have to break the bank. Here are our tips for eating salads on a tight budget!


Eat produce that is in season

When you eat produce that is in season, you’ll have fresher, better tasting salads that cost you less! If you garden this can get even cheaper! Not to mention, nothing tastes better than a warm tomato that was on the vine less than 5 minutes ago!

Not sure what is in season? Check out a list here.

Make it yourself

Sure, grabbing those bag salads as you walk through the produce section is easy and convenient. You tear open the bag a few minutes before you’re ready to eat, throw everything in a bowl (or not – sometimes we get lazy) and boom! You’re done.

However, those salads cost way more than the sum of their parts! You are trading convenience for cost. You also usually don’t know everything that goes in the dressings. If you like to keep your costs down and know what is going in your body, you’ll need to take a little extra time and make your own salads.

Buy some ingredients in bulk

Obviously, unless you have a very big family, you can’t buy some produce in bulk and eat it all before it goes bad. You can, however, buy some of your favorite salad mix ins and keep them on hand for when things go on sale.

If you know you love tortilla strips or chia seeds, buy them in bulk! Then you’ll always have them ready to go when your produce is in season or on sale!

Watch for deals and utilize them

I mentioned before that we bought feta cheese on sale. It was a HUGE 15 lb restaurant supply tub. Feta is typically a cheese we feel is out of the budget, but this tub was less than $0.60 a pound! We took it home, crumbled it, divided it into 1 lb bags, and froze them. Now, if we know we’re going to need feta we thaw a bag overnight, and use it up before it goes bad. We then can be on the lookout when we hit the store for things that pair well with feta.

If you watch for amazing deals and take advantage, you’ll cut your costs in the future.


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Anyone can consistently eat salad when they follow the above tips. Next time you’re planning your menu, keep them in mind!

Now without further ado, our yummy Spinach Apple Salad!

What is your favorite salad mix in? Do you buy it in bulk? Share your favorite salad making tips and tricks in the comments below!

White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

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As summer is winding down, my wife loves to get into the kitchen and start baking! She loves making desserts galore, and this week she had to make some to take to the first football game of the season (Go Ducks!).

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She decided to lean a little fancier and look for something that was easy but wouldn’t taste like it.

Cue the deliciousness that are these super sweet blondies!

Soft with bits of crunch, super sweet paired with the tang of cranberries and orange zest, you’ll please everyone with this bar!

Which do you prefer?! Blondies or brownies? Leave your vote in the comments!

White Chicken Pizza

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Happy Labor Day everyone!!

I hope the last long weekend of summer gave you lots of laughter and fun, and that you’re ready to face the work week again.

If not, may we suggest having a pizza night to brighten the mood?!

We already posted about our killer Hawaiian Chicken Pizza. If you crave more than one flavor (or if you disagree with us on our stance that pineapple definitely belongs on pizza), then today’s recipe will be right up your alley!

Creamy white Alfredo-esque sauce paired with slightly crispy grilled chicken makes this simple pizza staple an instant classic! Pair it with our homemade crispy crust and you’ll find yourself craving this pizza again and again!

Of course you can purchase pre-made dough for this recipe, but we believe making it yourself makes all the difference in texture and taste!

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What is your favorite pizza topping? Leave it in the comments below!

Hawaiian Chicken Pizza

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Pizza night!

I love whipping up a ton of pizza dough and going to town with my family, making a bunch of new flavors each time!

I have been ruined for store bought dough. The one I make is super simple, and is crispy (which my wife loves) but not too thin. Topping it with cheeses and other toppings I grab on sale makes it a simple meal with lots of leftovers. Pair it with a salad, and you’ve got a complete meal!

We’ll be having a bunch of flavors coming out over the next little while, but today’s may continue a debate that has the internet on fire…

Does pineapple go on pizza?!

We say yes… (be sure to subscribe if you agree!)

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We added chicken and onion to this classic Hawaiian pizza to make it our own, and we were so surprised by how much of a difference it made! So yummy!!

What is your favorite type of pizza? We have a ton of new recipes coming soon, but we’d love to hear your suggestions!

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Honey Sesame Asian Chicken

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We made up some delicious Ham Fried Rice the other day, and we needed something to pair it with. What better than some Asian style chicken?!

This sweet and savory take on classic Chinese foods will have you salivating! Its tender with crispy skin. This recipe is super easy to whip up! And since we always grab chicken when its on sale to keep on hand, this may become a go to for whenever we want to mix up our chicken game!

Want more chicken recipes? Check here to use up all that chicken you bought on sale!

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Ham Fried Rice

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Around here, we looooove Chinese takeout! Unfortunately, with our budget we have a hard time justifying the cost. As cheap as some places can be, I’ve always known its cheaper, if not easier, to just make it ourselves.

We decided a couple of weeks ago to try our hand at ham fried rice. And guys… I think I’ve been ruined for restaurant fried rice.

My biggest complaint of restaurant fried rice is that it is too dry. Knowing now how much work goes into making it, I figure most rice is made in bulk early in the morning and served old all day long. Though this is okay when you haven’t had anything better, once you’ve had fluffy moist ham fried rice, you just can’t go back.

We bought our ham in big loaves when they were on sale. We sliced up half of it for sandwiches, and then froze the rest in big hunks, ready to thaw if we needed more sliced or for recipes like this one. We may run through all that ham though now that we have this recipe at our fingertips.

Pair this with your favorite Asian chicken recipe and you can get Chinese take out without leaving home!

What is your favorite takeout recipe? Let us know in the comments!

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

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I have grown up in love with blueberry pancakes. I didn’t get to eat them very often because my mom hates the smell after picking thousands of berries when she was younger. But whenever we got to make them (when she went out of town) I loved eating them!

I decided one Saturday morning to surprise my beloved with some. I experimented a bit, and what came out was a densely smooth, almost crepe-like, cake with sweet and sour and bitter balanced so perfectly that they meld into one delicious new flavor.

I knew I had a hit when our son tried them. He’s going through a phase where he’s starting to push boundaries and see what he can get away with. He’ll nibble if we give him food he doesn’t want, and then begs for something else.

When we put the pancakes in front of him he was very excited! He scarfed down his first one before my wife and I had finished. Then he begged for another, and another. We cut him off after 3, and he was not happy about it. Luckily we had some leftover, so he had a couple for the next couple of breakfasts.

Let us know if you whip up a batch!

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Cream Cheese Krab Dip

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My wife, despite her lactose sensitivity, has a soft spot for cream cheese. Knowing this, when we had to make dips for our latest family get together, I decided to treat her to something I knew she would love.

Creamy, slightly sweet, and chock full of amazing seafood zing, this dip is great paired with some salty crackers!

Its one of the easiest recipes you’ll find. You literally mix everything up and put it in the oven! The list of ingredients is short, making it even easier!

Eat it on its own with crackers, or we found its just as delicious spread on a savory bagel! I’m sure you’ll find other uses for it as well.

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Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip

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Between church, work, and family parties, my wife and I attend our share of pot lucks. We’ve brought a wide variety of things to these, but I think this new recipe is one of our favorites!

For our monthly get together with my wife’s family, the theme was “dips”. We, in true procrastinator fashion, waited until Friday night to pick what we were going to do (the party was Sunday). We decided on two – a crab dip (coming soon!) and this…

It takes all the favorite parts of the best enchilada, and put it in dip form to eat with chips! The dip was a hit, and my year old niece especially loved it. She begged her parents for thirds!

Its not as hard to make as it sounds like it would be! Of course, we make it with our homemade refried beans which add a little more time, but otherwise its pretty dump and go!

What is your go to potluck dip? Let us know in the comments!!